Thousands have lost out on disability payments for six months as a result of being moved to Universal Credit.

Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd is facing increasing pressure to deliver for 7000 claimants who have lost out on disability payments for six months as a result of being moved to Universal Credit.

SNP MP Carol Monaghan, who had raised the issue in a letter to the Secretary of State before Christmas, has written to Amber Rudd for the second time calling on her to immediately initiate back-payments for claimants who have been moved from the legacy system to Universal Credit and lost out on vital disability payments in the process.

The Managed Migration regulations that have been delayed contained provision for back-payments to the estimated 7000 claimants who lost out on their Severe Disability Premium (SDP) – worth £64.30 for those in the legacy system – because of their natural migration onto Universal Credit.

Regulations also contained provisions to ensure claimants with SDPs would not be moved onto Universal Credit without transitional protection.

Without this, claimants are still continuing to lose out despite the former Secretary of State Esther McVey committing in June 2018 to paying those who had lost out.

Commenting, Carol Monaghan MP said: “It is simply unacceptable for thousands of disability claimants to be waiting for what they are due for six months.

“The Tory Secretary of State has completely ignored the promise made to 7000 claimants six months ago that back-payments would be made to compensate for losing out under the Severe Disability Premium – and has provided no assurances as to when they will receive their payments.

“As a direct result of Amber Rudd’s decision to sit on her hands, people are continuing to lose out day after day on money that the Tories promised them – all because the UK government has failed to implement these protections.

“For the sake of thousands of people across the country, I urge the Secretary of State for the DWP to initiate back-payments immediately for claimants moved to Universal Credit, put in protection so those moving via natural migration don’t continue to lose out, and correct this horrific injustice.”

Disclaimer: This is an official press release from the Scottish National Party (SNP).